Baby tender



Oct. 17, 1961 B. J. LOOMIS 3,004,793

BABY TENDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed iv'xay 18, 1959 INVENTOR. BARBARA 1. .0044

B. J. LOOMIS BABY TENDER Oct. 17, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 18, 1959 INVENTOR. aA/wmm doom/s BY M MAJ 3W Arr-0241s):-

Oct. 17, 1961 B. J. LOOMlS BABY TENDER Filed May 18, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MWQ United States Patent 3,004,793 BABY TENDER Barbara Loomis, 2121 Alice St., Ann Arbor, Mich. Filed May 18, 1959, Ser. No. 814,067

4 Claims. (Cl. 297-274) This invention relates to baby tending devices in general, and more particularly to a multi-purpose baby tendng device of continuing usefulness during the early growing years of young children.

It is a common and perplexing problem to parents of newborn infants that certain things are essential to babys bestwelfare but that such items are rather expensive in view of the terribly short time that they are used. Such items include the cradle or bassinet which is extremely serviceable in that the baby can be easily carried from one room to the next and need not be left in the big crib at the far end of. the house. Likewise, the dressing top of a baby bath device is most serviceable. The toddlers seat and tray chair are also a would-bemust for baby. p

The realization that such items are serviceable for such a short time usually means that bassinets are passed from one family to the next, the nearest waist high surface suflices for dressing baby, and the high chair, since i't is used longest, is brought into service as soon as possible. 7

.What the young family needs is a baby tending device which can grow with the baby. That is, a structure which can be modified to suit several different purposes and to thereby be serviceable for several of babys growing years. Such adevice not only answers the financial problems of parents but also serves to subdue the emotional problems of the very young in giving up what they are accustomed to and adapting themselves to new and diiferent things.

It is an object of this invention to disclose a multipurpose baby tending device which is so devised and constructed that it can be modified to literally grow with a child.

It is an object of this invention to disclose a bady tending frame receptive of several diflerent baby tending accessories. The baby tender frame is constructed so that once erected it may serve numerous different purposes without any disassembly and extensive revision or modification.

It. is an object of this invention to disclose a baby. tending device which will serve as a bassinet, a dressing table for baby, a rockable cradle, a baby chair, a tray chair, and a youth chair all successively as required by the growing child. a 7

It is also an object of this invention to disclose a baby tending device of the character thus far described and which is wholly collapsible for ready transportation. The device hereinafter disclosed folds to a depth of two inches and is of extremely lightweight. a

It is also anobject of this invention to disclose a baby tending device which is exceptionally durable in construction for assured long serviceable life while remaining of lightweight construction.

Another object of this invention is to disclose a baby tending frame which is receptive of diiferent child care accessories and yet requires no awkward or bulky parts to be stored in the interim between its different uses.

Still another object of this invention is to disclose a baby tending device making use of washable childcare accessories. This is particularly important with the very young that are being trained and continuously spill things and have accidents.

A further object of this invention is to disclose a baby tending device which is collapsible, with its accessories, into a compact package for ease of packaging, shipment l wardly disposed and crossed supporting legs 16.

3,004,793 Patented Oct. 17, 1961 ice and storage, as regards to both the retail distribution and the ultimate purchaser.

A still further object of this invention is to disclose a multipurpose baby tending device which is simple in construction and assembly, makes use of readily available and relatively inexpensive material, and may be made by commonly known methods to reduce manufacturing costs, thus reducing the ultimate cost to purchasers and making the device available to more needy parents.

These and numerous other objects and advantages attainable in the practice of this invention will be better understood and appreciated upon a reading of the following specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the baby tender of this invention as modified to serve as a bassinet or cradle. l

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the baby tender of this invention as modified to serve as a babys dressing table or the like.

FIGURE '3 is a perspective view of the baby tender of this invention as modified to serve as a babys chair or sling.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the proposed baby tender as modified to serve as a tray chair, and as seen from the backside thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of parts of the baby tending device shown by FIGURE 4, as partially collapsed and without the seat and tray forming cover thereon.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the disclosed device as adapted to serve as a youth chair, or sling.

FIGURE 7 is a side plan view of the tray chair adaptation of the disclosed device.

FIGURE 8 is a top plan view of the frame structure of the disclosed device, as collapsed.

FIGURE 9 is a reduced side plan view of the youth chair adaptation of the disclosed device to show a certain special feature thereof.

Referring to the drawings in further detail, the baby tending device 10 is shown by FIGURE 1 as inclusive of a frame structure 12. The frame structure is formed from lightweight tubular and sheet metal aluminum, or like material. It includes a base 14 and pairs of up- The base 14 is provided by a rectangular piece of aluminum, or like material, which forms a foot pan 18. The edges of the foot pan member .18 have flat narrow reinforcing straps 20, of aluminum or the like, secured thereto as by rivets or screw fasteners 22. The reinforcing straps 20 have their ends extended beyond the ends of the foot pan 18 to provide leg retentive brackets 24. The brackets 24 at one end of the foot pan 18 are bent back upon themselves to form closed loops and have their ends secured to themselves as by fasteners 26. The other brackets, identified as 24' are bent back on themselves but are left open. As will be shown, the strap brackets 24 and 24 form journal bearings and pivot axes for the supporting legs 16.

The supporting legs 16 are formed as parallel spaced leg members 28 with an interconnecting part 30 therebetween. The interconnecting leg part 30 is preferably provided between the ends of the legs 28 and is received in the foot pan brackets 24 and 24. Accordingly, the legs 28 of each set of supporting legs 16 are pivoted together up over the sides of the foot pan 18. One of the supporting leg sets 16 is in fixed though freely pivotal engagement with the base .14, within the closed brackets 24. The other leg set .16 is removably engaged and pivotal within the brackets 24'. a

The leg members 28 extend in crossing relation over each side of the base 14 and have their ends pivotally engaged to a closed frame member 32. The frame member 32 is of tubular construction and is rectangular in shape with parallel spaced sides 34 and rounded ends 36. The ends of the legs 28 are secured to the frame sides 34 by pivot pin connections 3'8.

The legs 28 of one of the leg sets 16 is formed to extend Within the legs of the other set and to enable a tilting of the closed frame member 32 in one'direction. The legs 28 of the inner and outer leg sets 16 are bowed inwardly near their lower ends, as at 4t) and 42 respectively. This forms an interference shoulder between the intersecting legs on each side which prevents the frame 32 from being tilted in the opposite direction. The interference shoulders on the legs 28 is best identified as at the location of the locking pin receiving holes 44 and 46 by means of which the legs can be secured together at such retained position when and if desired. To further facilitate the tilting of the closed frame 32 in the one direction, the outer legs 28 are also bowed outwardly near their upper ends as at 48. The limit of tilting movement of the closed frame 32 is determined by engagement of the closed frame with the inwardly bowed portions 40 of the inner legs 28.

The frame construction thus far described is best shown by FIGURE 8, though it is there illustrated in its collapsed condition.

It will be appreciated that upon disengagement of the interconnecting leg part 30 of the one leg set 16 from the open brackets 24, the whole frame assembly is collapsible. The inwardly bowed sections 40 of inwardly disposed legs 28 and the outwardly bowed parts 48 of the outer legs enable the frame unit to be collapsed into a very compact unit. Further, the brackets 24 may be frictionally engaged within the inwardly bowed parts 40 of the inner legs 28, to hold the foot pan 18 thereto, and the connecting part 30 of the extended leg set 16 may be used as a handle to carry the folded unit.

In FIGURE 1 an accessory unit 50 is shown as used with the frame structure 12. Such accessory 50 is a bassinet or cradle within which a small child may be placed. It is formed of a pliable cloth material such as any of the canvases, denim, fabric-backed plastic leather or the like. The bassinet 50 includes a bottom 52 to receive a small plastic covered mattress. -It includes side and end walls 54 and 56 which have flaps 58 that are folded over the sides and ends 34 and 36 of the accessory receptive frame part 32. Snap fasteners 59 serve to hold the flaps engaged to their respective side and end walls and the basket form disposed within the accessory frame 32.

v The bottom of the cradle or bassinet accessory 50 is s'uflicie'ntly below the crossing of the support arms 28, and weight is sufiiciently distributed, to maintain the baby tending device as shown by FIGURE 1. The device may be rocked gently if desired or may be locked in the position shown, by a pin received through the aligned locking holes 44 and 46 in the crossed legs 28.

' Another accessory item for use with v tender 'device is the dressing table top 60 shown by FIGURE 2. The frame 12 is arranged to dispose the accessory receptive frame part 32 in a horizontal disposition. Then a surface forming member 62, of light weight canvas or like material, is laced to the frame by a lacing cord 64 wound in and out through eyelet holes 66 pro vided about the edges thereof. A crotch strap 68 is sewed to the surface member and a strap 69 is laced through such member and engaged to the sides of the accessory receptive frame '32 to hold a child in place thereon. The frame legs 28 are usually held in their shoulder engagin'g positions by a pin received through the locking holes 44 and 46. However, such a pin may be removed to gently rock the baby, if desired. The crotch member 68 is naturally arranged to safeguard the child should the titable end of the frame 32 be inadvertently lowered. Another accessory item 70 is shown as used with the the disclosed baby baby tender, by FIGURE 3. This accessory item is a youth seat or sling formed of a canvas or similar material and formed to provide a seat depression 72 near one end thereof. The sling 70 includes eyelet holes 74 about its edge which enable a lacing 76 to secure it to the accessory receptive frame part 32. The seat depression 72 is intended to be disposed toward the tiltable end of the rame structure, so that the weight of a baby will cause the structure to assume the disposition shown.

The sling 70 is for very young children, unable to sit up by themselves, and therefore includes a crotch strap 78 and safety belt 79 similar to that described for the dressing table accessory 60. The baby is preferably seated largely within the seat portion 72 of the sling as is shown but sufiiciently near the tiltable end of the frame to assure maintaining the disclosed disposition. At the same time, the structure may be gently rocked to soothe a crying child. There needbe no concern for a reverse tilting action since the shouldered parts of arms 28 prevent other than the horizontal position previously described.

Still another accesory item is the tray chair 80 shown by FIGURES 4 and 7. This accessory item includes a chair frame 82 having a seat back frame 84 pivotally engaged thereto, as best shown by FIGURE 5.

The chair frame 82 is a U-shaped frame having a crossbar 86 provided near its closed end and'with the seat back frame 84 pivotally engaged, as at 88, near its open end. The terminal ends of the chair frame 82 are bent up as at 90, to form stops which hold the seat back frame 84 at an inclined angle when erected.

A seat and tray forming cover 92, again of a light- Weight canvas or like material, is provided to enclose the chair and back forming frame parts 82 and 84. The cover member 92 includes snap fastener flaps 94 to hold the tray form, and like flaps to engage the lower ends of the seat back frame 84 to the sides of the seat portion 96 that is provided. Such arrangement provides a seat and tray forming cover that can be readily removed, washed, and replaced whenever desired.

The seat or tray providing frame part 82 is secured to the accessory receptive frame part 32 by spring fasteners 98 engageable between the pivot connections 38 of the frame legs 28 and like connections 88 and 88' provided thereon. The connections 88' are those securing the crossbar 86 in place. Such a mounting assures a bouncing or jumper character, so familiar with this type of a baby tending device. The spring fasteners are readily engaged and disengaged, as desired.

With the tray chair accessory 80, it will be noted that the accessory item may face either end of the accessory receptive frame part 32. It will also be noted that the seat portion 96 is disposed well past the crossed parts of the support legs (as shown by FIGURE 7), so that the childs weight serves to prevent any tilting of the frame structure. Obviously, it is preferable with this accessory that the legs 28 be engaged together by pin means through the locking holes 44 and 46.

A still further accessory item for use with the disclosed frame structure is the youth chair or sling 100 shown by FIGURE 6. This sling 100 is similar to the one shown by FIGURE 3 except that it is for older children. It is formed of a canvas-like material, or whatever proves most suitable, and includes a seat portion 102 which is deep enough for the child aged two through five. Like the other sling, 70, it includes eyelets 104 about its edge and is held by lacing 106 to the accessory receptive frame part 32.

The youth sling 100 concentrates the childs Weight toward the tiltable end of the frame part 32 and enables it to serve as a stationary or a rocking chair, as desired. The supporting legs 28 are so formed that a gap is provided therebetween and near the chair or sling part, as at 108, to prevent any pinching of fingers. ;This is best emphasized by FIGURE 9. Some of the other views of the different uses of this device do not illustrate this as clearly since it would cause undue confusion.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the purchaser of this device, including the frame structure 12 and the accessory items 50, 60, 70, 80 and 100, has five different baby tending devices available. Any one of these items can be made available within a few minutes, so that complete and absolute versatility is available. The frame structure is readily erected and collapsed. The accessory items are easily folded up and stored. Even the tray chair item 80 folds to a compact assembly, as shown by FIGURE 5.

No changes are required to be made to the frame structure 12. Once the connecting part 30 of the inner set of legs 28 is engaged within the brackets 24 it is erected and ready for use. The accessory receptive frame part 32 is freely tiltable, but in only one direction, as long as the legs 28 are not locked together. By the use of lackings or snap fastener connections numerous different baby tending accessories are adaptable for use with and form a part of the disclosed device.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A convertible multipurpose baby tender for taking care of a variety of different baby needs; comprising a frame structure including an endless annular border frame having elongated, laterally spaced parallel sides, a support for said frame including a pair of legs for each side of said frame, the legs of each pair being pivoted at their upper ends to the corresponding side of said frame at longitudinally spaced points and extending downwardly therefrom in crossing relation, the legs of one pair being respectively laterally opposed to the legs of the other pair to provide sets of opposed legs, a trans verse bar connecting the lower ends of the opposed legs of each set, means pivotally supporting said bars in predetermined spaced relation to each other permitting pivotal movement of said legs and hence angular movement of said border frame, said pivotal supporting means comprising an elongated member extending from one of said transverse bars to the other, said elongated member having return-bent ends pivotally receiving said bars, one of said return-bent ends defining an open recess to permit removal of the corresponding transverse bar and collapse of said support, one leg of each pair of legs having an integral transversely offset portion formed to interfere with and engage said frame in the inclined position thereof to positively prevent angular movement of said frame beyond said inclined position, both legs of each pair having integral transversely offset portions formed to interfere with and engage one another in the horizontal position of said frame to prevent angular movement of said frame beyond said horizontal position, and a replaceable baby receiving unit within and removably carried by said border frame.

2. A baby tender comprising frame structure including an endless annular border frame having elongated laterally spaced parallel sides, a support for holding said border frame in horizontal position including a pair of legs for each side of said border frame, means pivotally connecting the upper ends of the legs of each pair to the corresponding side of said border frame at longitudinally spaced points, said legs of each pair extending downwardly from said border frame in crossing relation carried by said chair frame,

for engagement with a supporting surface, a baby chair unit carried by said border frame, said baby chair unit including a U-shaped chair frame within said border frame, springs resiliently supporting said U-shaped chair frame from said border frame so that it occupies a plane parallel to that of said border frame and so that the arms of said said U-shaped chair frame are parallel to said sides of said border frame, a seat of flexible material a chair back between and pivoted to the arms of said U-shaped chair frame near the ends of said arms for swinging movement from a collapsed position in the plane of said chair frame to an upright position of use, said arms having integral offset end portions providing limit stops engageable with said chair back to determine its upright position.

3. The baby tender defined in claim 2 wherein the point of crossing of the legs of one pair is transversely aligned with the point of crossing of the legs of the other pair, said seat is disposed to one side of the aligned points of crossing so that the weight of a baby occupying said seat tends to tilt said border frame in one direction from the horizontal, and said legs of each pair have integral ofiset portions at said one side of said aligned points of crossing interfering with and engaging one another to positively prevent said border frame from tilting in said one direction.

4. A convertible multipurpose baby tender for taking care of a variety of different baby needs; comprising a frame structure including an endless annular border frame having elongated, laterally spaced parallel sides, a support for said frame including a pair of legs for each side of said frame, the legs of each pair being pivoted at their upper ends to the corresponding side of said frame at longitudinally spaced points and extending downwardly therefrom in crossing relation, means pivotally supporting the lower ends of the legs of each pair in predetermined spaced relation to each other permitting pivotal movement of said legs and hence angular movement of said border frame between a horizontal position and an inclined position, one leg of each pair of legs having an integral transversely offset portion formed to interfere with an engage said frame in said inclined position thereof to positively prevent angular movement of said frame beyond said inclined position, the legs of each pair having integral transversely offset portions formed to interfere with and engage one another in said horizontal position of said frame to prevent angular movement of said frame beyond said horizontal position, and a replaceable baby receiving unit removably carried by said frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

